


Who made you?

by Radi_skull320



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Magical Artifacts, Slow Build, Slow Burn, sex I promise
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-13
Updated: 2018-05-25
Packaged: 2018-09-24 00:13:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 16,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9690575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Radi_skull320/pseuds/Radi_skull320
Summary: I don't know how familiar you all are with Ethiopian food, but it generally looks like thishttps://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/Alicha_1.jpgAnd is delicious.  You eat it with your hands and New York is kind of all about glamming it up.





	1. A normal day

_I can see him out there.  He’s just out of reach.  But he’s there.  Dad can you hear me?_

I try to shout out to the familiar silhouette bathed in light, but what feels like a claw comes over my mouth and I lose air.

_He turns back and looks at me.  He’s wearing the same sad expression.  I know what’s coming.  I don’t want it to.  Please just let me look at him a little bit longer.  Let me remember._

“I am sorry” he says tearfully and he raises his hand.  The claw further extends over my eyes and I’m enveloped in darkness.  I’m falling into the cold vastness of uncertainty.  The darkness is consuming me.

_Think of something else, anything else!_

“CRANBERRY MUFFINS!!”

Her hair stuck to her forehead as Meredith propped herself up on the middle of her bed.  Nights like this were not uncommon and odd random shouting had become the norm.  She steadied her breath and she gathered her bearings.  The light of the digital clock screamed "4 am" at her unaccustomed eyes.   _Great 5 hours of sleep again._ She mulled over if she actually had any cranberry muffins around.  

As was practice as long as she could remember, Meredith shuffled around her nightstand for her dream journal and a pen.

_Think Meredith, try to remember._

Try as she might nothing ever really comes.  There is a vague feeling of light into darkness.

_Something about bindings?_

But it was no use.  She tapped the pen angrily against the page, hoping the ink would free the content in her mind.  With a sigh she began to flip through the pages of the journal.  Much like tonight, they are barely half full. She sat with the guilty feeling in her stomach.

_You would think I could fill up a page after 15 or 16 years of having this._

She flipped back to the beginning of the journal.  On a particular day when she was 10 years old, she had filled up two whole pages.  There were pieces about a large pony and a fear of clowns.

_Heh, simpler times._

She sifts through the pages until she reaches that particular day.  Age 13.  The night her father disappeared.  That entry was 4 pages, the longest in all the journal.  

_I didn’t sleep that night.  Technically not a dream, but a nightmare nonetheless._

Rather than read the content, which were feelings she knew all too well, she thought about what he would say to her now.  The sifted through the entries until this moment: Two or three lines, trailing off, then the pen digging into the pages in an effort to remember something...anything.

_Some shrink out there would have a field day with me._

Outside the sun is starting to peer over the roofs of apartment complexes into Meredith’s windows.  A couple hours of reading in bed didn’t much matter as she had lost the will to sleep.  Another day, another Brooklyn sunrise, another Monday lacking any rest.  There was an odd feeling of comfort as she slipped into the morning routine.  Brushing teeth, prepping breakfast.  Her limbs haven’t known anything outside this groggy state for while.  On her way to the door, she smashed her toe into the new side table pulling her out of mindlessness.

“OW FUCKING CHRIST! Why did I even put that table there?!” She yells at no one in particular.  

But of course she knows why.  On this particular stand rests a small framed picture of her family.  Whole and together.  Her dad before he disappeared and her mom before she died.  The impact of her foot knocked a necklace that usually rested on the picture's frame onto the ground.  Once it was back in her hands, Meredith ran her thumb over the pattern.  There was no Celtic blood in her family, but for some reason she remembered her dad loving Celtic knots.  He had given her mother this necklace in the shape of the familiar image.  Meredith thought about how she had wanted to ask her mother about the rose colored stone in the center, but time had gotten away from her.  She had been younger still, thinking they had forever to read stories and ask all the questions.

There was something about how the morning light hit the stone that made her remember mornings in our kitchen together.  Warm summer ones where her mom would pack strawberries as a snack for school.  

“Oh what the hell,” She muttered putting the necklace on..  The delicate chain rested on her skin..  “I haven’t lost it yet.”

\------

The morning train into the city ran a little slower than scheduled that Monday.  Meredith decided that she didn’t care and took the familiar route to the coffee shop for her favorite way to start her days.  Not having their admin 30 minutes later than 9 am surely wouldn’t cripple the company.  When she exited the shop, she noticed foot traffic thinning as people made it on time to their work stations.  Not long now until the beverage was cool enough for her to enjoy.

There is an odd sound and what felt like a gust of wind or hitting a wall.  Meredith threw up her arms in front of her.  Despite the time, there should still be people about, but after looking around she found no one.  She took a step and it echoed... _but I’m outside?_   After walking up to the nearest building, she examined the stone.   _It looks...shiny?_

“Well this is just...strange.”  She couldn’t place it, but something felt off. Suddenly the wall rumbles and making her jump back to witness the building folding in on itself.  

“What?!”  It starts to fractal off, creating a hole in the center of the wall.  The ground follows with one of the fractals, slowly sloping into a 90 degree angle.  Meredith instinctively tries to grab anything as she feels the ground is shifting. The hole in the building seems to be where gravity wants her to fall.  Through the hole she can see clouds.   

“No, this is impossible!” Those are the last words she can form as she’s hurtled skyward.  There is no way for her to get her bearings nor are there any ledges for her flailing limbs to catch onto.  She appears to be falling into the open sky and is definitely screaming.  For a moment she considers that she’s dreaming still.  The sky disrupts her as it kaleidoscopes into a reflection of where she had come from.  It manifests as the hard pavement directly above her.  Not quite sure how, she adds volume to her screaming throwing her hands up to brace herself for deadly impact.

But there is no impact.  Slowly she opens her eyes finding the pavement inches from her nose.  There is a clunk as her coffee hits the pavement next to her.  She examines herself, finding that she is hovering above the ground.  There are two bright orange mandalas binding her arms to her waist and her feet together...in mid air.  She gives them an experimental wiggle and finds she is stuck.

Behind her Meredith hears a quiet thud of footsteps and.. _that sounds like fabric flapping._ Someone is coming.  She tries to look up but instead a man kneels down into her field of vision.  She turns to face him and is greeted by an older man with piercing blue eyes...wearing a cape.    

“Are you okay? You shouldn't be here-” He reaches out a hand but before he can make contact something tackles him out of view.  She can hear them struggling around her.

“I’ll get you out of here ok?” He yells over his shoulder to her.  There is the sound similar to lighting crackling and then he comes back into view.  

“Just going to get you upright,” He taps her feet and her body flips so that they could touch the would be ground.

“How-”

“I know, you have a million questions, but now isn’t a safe time.”

As if she weighs nothing, the man pushes her forward out of a ball of fire coming straight for them.  However, she continues to float off carried by inertia.  

“Oh god, what do I do?!” Meredith calls out in a panic to the caped man.

“I’m coming, just hang on.” She glances over her shoulder to witness the man...fly towards her? That can’t be right.  As he gets closer she can see him making a circular motion.  Off in the distance there is a crackle and a newly formed hole in space. He reaches out to her and secures her body against him as he picks up speed.  She can peer over his shoulders from where they came from. The world seems to still be spinning and opening up into new fractals and nonsense.  On a ledge made of the sidewalk, there are four dark figures with a purple glow, they look like they are throwing something.  She squints...they each throw a fireball.

“Um...I don’t think that’s good.” She says against him, not sure of what to say to adequately describe the events to warn him.

“What?” The man looks over his shoulder.  As he does the four fireballs merge creating an engulfing missile of flame. “Oh come on!” He mutters. “Hang on.”

“I literally CAN’T right now!” She says indignantly and gives a struggle.

“Better than falling.” The man says.  She stills.

She’s stuck against him, unable to see where they are headed.  Her anxiety is building as her only view is the approaching inferno.   She can feel the air pick up around them in an effort to move faster.  The heat is reaching her face now and she closes her eyes.

“Brace yourself!” He warns her.

She yelps as the mandalas dissipate. The man maneuvers to the other side of her as they pass through the sparkling portal.  She watches it close, effectively containing the blast to wherever they had just been.  The man wraps his arms around Meredith, keeping her head against his ribcage.  She can feel something trying to slow their momentum.  There is impact as she is thrown against the man’s chest.  They bounce and skid across a hardwood floor.  


	2. A "normal" Day

In the moments before moving, Stephen pondered the events leading up to this moment on the floor.  The category of “normal morning” seemed to become broader and broader in definition as days went on.

This morning he found himself barred from the library, again. Stephen was left with the books he had already read and with the cloak to pester him in his room.  Now guarding the New York Sanctum, he could at least enjoy some familiar sights of home.  It was nostalgic and painful.  The cloak was resting on the chair at his desk when the light of the morning crept in.  The current volume Stephen was studying was the enchantment of objects.  Since he was relegated to his room, he made use of the items he already had.  He was mildly curious about the origins of his new fabric friend.  The cloak itself seemed disinterested and would often rest where it wanted while Stephen busied himself.

“Aren’t you the least bit curious about where you come from?” He remarked to the cloak.

The garment barely stirred, like a cat uncaringly acknowledging movement in a room.

“Come on,” Stephen pushed aside that he was pleading with clothing. “Could you at least show me where to look?”

With a visible shrug, the cloak begrudgingly lifted a back edge.

“What, showing me a tag that says ‘dry clean only?’” The cloak gave him a smack on the hand in annoyance.

There was a clear line of symbols embedded in the lining and a sign it had been mended.  A crimson celtic weave.  He sighed in memory of the Ancient One and focused on examining them further.  He couldn’t make it out.

“Huh.” He remarked.

The cloak shrugged again and turned around.  It looked a little disappointed.

“I take it I’m not the first to try?” Stephen tried to sound empathetic.

The cloak deflated on the chair in confirmation.  It didn’t even know where it came from.

Suddenly there was the loud noise of alarm. It sounded through the halls of the Sanctum.  Stephen peeked out his door to find Wong running toward him.  

“It’s more mindless ones!” He called out.

Stephen mustered a tired look.  Dormammu had taken the zealots from Earth indeed, but technically they became minions.  Not capable of thought to be rebelious zealots.  The God of Lies had gone full mystic lawyer on him about the exact words he should have said.  He decided this was mildly better than the full entity returning to visit again.

They were always after the same thing he and the others at the sanctum were searching for recently.  Sorcerers sensed a source of dark power in the city.  Scry and scry as they might, neither side could pinpoint the source.

Stephen carefully summoned the mirror dimension to keep the people of manhattan safe.  He tried to encompass the four mindless ones and keep them busy while Wong prepared to send them back to the dark dimension.

Stephen had thought keeping them in an endless loop of falling would keep them busy.  This was until he heard a shriek from the newly rotated sky.

And now he was here.  There was a woman shaking his shoulder.  He pondered if there had been softer floors to port to in the Sanctum and decided that wood had probably been his best choice.  He quickly assessed himself for any injuries deciding he felt a sprain and intense bruising, but nothing crucial.  His new focus was on the woman and how on earth she had gotten into the mirror dimension.

“Mister, oh jeez hey! Wake up!” The woman was shaking his shoulder with her right hand.

“I’m up,” Stephen said trying to sit up and finding the bruising too painful.  He remained flat on the floor.

“Oh Jesus where are we?” The woman looked around.  Stephen watched her dark hair whip around in her panic.  She wasn’t moving her left arm.  He decided she’d probably notice it when the adrenaline wore off.  “Oh man, are you hurt? Can you get up? Does this place have a doctor?”

“Heh, that’d be me.” He couldn’t resist.  She shot him a deadpan look of annoyance with her big brown eyes.

“Ha.” She said sarcastically. “Are you considering actually being helpful?”

Stephen steadied himself up to sitting.  

“I’d say saving you from falling into the pavement was pretty helpful.”  He wanted to see her interpretation of what had just happened.

“Wha- Look what the hell is going on?! It’s not like I was ever at the top of any buildings!”

“Okay, okay.  How about something simple.” Stephen extended a hand.  “Hello my name is Stephen, and you are?”

“...Meredith.” She took his hand, she seemed to calm down.  Stephen found that patterns and pleasantries were always something to bring people back down.

“And what do you think just happened?”

Meredith paused and then pinched the bridge of her nose.

“If anything, something akin to your antics made me lose my coffee and increasingly late for work.  And while I know that’s not all of it, that is LITERALLY the ONLY part I can COMPREHEND RIGHT NOW!” She punctuated with an increasing glare at Stephen.

Stephen couldn’t help but be amused.  He would expect fear, but the growing annoyance was novel.  He sat up to face her and tried a new tactic, like what had been used on him.

“Okay well, what if the world you know isn’t the only thing out there? What if magic exist-”

“NOPE!” Meredith held up a hand.  “I don’t care! Maybe you’re an alien, an Avenger, or just some guy who’s going around drugging people’s coffee. I don’t care, I like my simple world view and want to know as LITTLE as possible.”  She punctuated with her fingers to indicate how little.  “Now if you don’t mind, pull a Men in Black on me SOMEHOW and release me back into the ignorant world...Ow.”

Stephen got up.  She had noticed her dislocated left shoulder.

“Let me have a look at that, I’m a doctor.” Stephen too had switched into a pattern he knew too well.

“Yea...like of weird shit.” She snapped at him tugging away.

“Actually just Strange,” He commented. “Like that’s my name, Dr. Strange.”

She did a double take and squinted at him grudgingly.  

“I bet when you hit enter on ancestry.com it just laughs in your face.” She snickered.  That was new, Stephen smiled wide and stifled a giggle.  She seemed to soften a bit.

“It’s an easy fix, I promise you.” Stephen approached her slowly.

“Okay fine.” Meredith stilled.

Stephen’s hands shook as he took the woman’s arm and braced the opposite shoulder.  He was a bit taller than her and he could feel that Meredith was nervous.

“Take a deep breath for me ok?” He said to her soothingly.  “Exhale when I say.”

She drew in a deep breath.  He never liked this part as the patient either.  “Now.” She released and he applied sudden pressure.  He felt the joint pop back into the socket turning her exhale into a sound of shock and discomfort.

“It’ll be sore for a little while.  Come with me so I can get you some ice and I’ll find something to make a sling.”  Stephen would have felt much at home like this if it hadn’t been for the cloak rustling around on his back.

Meredith hissed a little. “Okay cool, thanks.”

As they headed to the hallway, a portal opened revealing Wong stepping out and patting his hands together.

“All of them back in the dark dimension no thanks to you! Oh…” Wong broke his accusatory tone and looked at Meredith.  Strange new he would probably be banned from the library for a full month now.


	3. Bad news

Meredith sat on the bed in a nearby room while the two men’s “quiet discussion” about her reverberated through the walls.  The room smelled old with scarce decorations of symbols she didn’t recognize.  Outside the skyline of Manhattan glistened in the midday sun.  She had walked along Bleecker street millions of times, when the pinkberry opened, for class, to the gym; but she had never noticed this building.  

There was a rustling behind her.  When she turned she was greeted by...the floating crimson cloak.  She jumped back in surprise wincing at her arm in the makeshift sling.  When it moved closer slowly, there was a post-it on the collar.  Meredith glanced and it read “shock blanket.”

“Well okay,” She muttered and sat back on the bed.

The cloak settled on her shoulders and flattened into a uniform square, just like blanket.  She tugged at the sides pulling it in closer.  The mild security felt like a bandaid on a stab wound.  Meredith sighed and realized that the blanket smelled nice.  Like pinewood, old books, and a little burnt.  It smelled like Stephen, what she could remember when he tucked her into his body.  

_ What if I can’t go back? _

She shuddered at the thought and held the blanket tighter.  It rippled in defiance and turned back into a cloak.

“I’m sorry!” Meredith stood up and the cloak remained on the bed. “Wait, I just…” She groaned at the ridiculousness of it all.

The collar of the cloak turned expectantly at the door and floated over to wait there.  When the door opened, Stephen peeked through the door.  

“Hey...there.” He said awkwardly to Meredith.  The cloak immediately nestled onto his shoulders.  “Well I hope you were nice…” The cloak rippled.  “I didn’t think so.”

“Yup, so…” Meredith fished poorly for information while rocking on her heels.

“Uh,” Stephen rubbed the back of his neck and glanced all around the room. “...well there’s good news and bad news.”

“How bad is the bad news?” Meredith braced.

“Hmm,” Stephen pressed his palms together, index fingers against his lips in a display of sensual pondering.  Meredith tried to file the thought away. “In an effort to keep you as ignorant as you wish, here’s the info in small chunks.”

She sighed and looked at him expectantly.  Stephen was wringing his shaking hands and sifting through simple words.

“Okay so, where we just were is a place that um, normal people can’t get into.  It’s how we keep everyone safe you see.  And the fact that it allowed you in, is well, a cause for a little concern.” Stephen made too many nervous hand flourishes for this to be something he’s ever encountered.

“Alright.” Meredith offered in surface understanding.

“Well you see, we, everyone here,” He motioned to the general space. “Have been looking for...something for quite a while now, let’s just say. And those things, with the fire and-” Meredith waved his explanation away not wanting to revisit what she had seen. “Okay right, you get it, are looking for the same thing.  You know like a good vs. evil get to it first sort of situation.  And them converging on your specific location,” He hesitated.  “Well might not have been a coincidence.”  Stephen smiled at her nervously.

Meredith was half amused at the shift in assuredness in his tone when he was tending her to her injuries to near incoherence about these matters and then the meaning of what he said slowly dawned on her.

“Wait what?” She said blinking in disbelief. “Look I’ve never EVER heard of anything supernatural or weird all my life.  So if you think it’s me, there’s just...no way.”

Stephen rubbed the back of his neck again and walked toward her.

“We have to be sure.” He said but Meredith glared at him in defiance. “Look, this sort of thing has been happening on Earth for a while now.  And unlike the Avengers, we have the means to keep destruction and pain to a minimum.  If those precautions didn’t work with you, well then who’s to say that is isn’t working for other people like you.” Stephen paused at the implication of that statement. He looked at the ground and looked back at Meredith.  He looked sad and burdened. “I can’t live knowing that.”

It was a look that was utterly disarming and Meredith felt her heart sink.  

“How long is this going to take.” She sighed.

“I...have no idea.” Stephen said apologetically.  “But! We have coffee here.  That has to count for something.” He offered a toothy smile and Meredith had to return the gesture.


	4. Worse news

Stephen guided her into the center of the three Sanctums.  He did his best to act like it was just a random room and not something like a dimensional link between three different parts of the world.  

_ Maybe it’s just an odd mistake and maybe I didn’t do the dimensional shift right. _

Stephen pondered hoping that this was all his fault.  At least he would know that he could improve on something and this poor woman could go about her day.  He was sad to admit that he would miss her snark though.  It had been so long since he had someone around that he could make jokes with, even longer since someone had made a joke back.  He looked down at her beside him and tracked her eyes marveling at the room.  He always thought it had a rather damp air and a lack of light, except for the magical forces that tended to make the room glow.  Her gaze eventually met his and he offered her a half smile and looked away.

Wong stood in the middle of the room with a couple other acolytes at the other entrances.  He was imposing and looking directly at Meredith.  Stephen considered a suggestion in people skills for him later on.  In the center was a table sporting  a flattened world map.  Stephen put his hands on Meredith’s shoulders and positioned her at the table across from Wong.  He decided to take a position between them.  It was going to be a basic scry, just like they had been doing for the past month.  

“Just, stay still.” Stephen tried to be reassuring with Meredith.

Stephen, Wong, and the two acolytes began the the motions to channel energy.  Stephen saw Meredith shrinking away a bit but is able to catch her gaze. He can see her calm down as she focused on him.  A moment later, Wong broke formation to hold a clear crystal on a string over the map.  Stephen and the acolytes maintain their hands in a channeling symbol.  The power and energy flowing through him is always a new sensation.  It felt stranger with someone’s eyes on him.  The crystal glowed.

_ Just fall onto the same spot like you have been for the past month.  Let this be my fault. _

Stephen begged with the crystal. The crystal twitched, starting to settle on the same part of the map like past sessions.  With a deep sigh, Stephen started to relax.

Suddenly the crystal lurches forward and points accusingly at Meredith.  The room bites back a gasp.  Meredith looks at the glowing rock in disbelief.  She offers an experimental slide to the right.  The crystal follows her.  She tries another two steps to the left.  It follows her still with unwavering certainty straining against its cord.

“Look I really think that’s enough for today.” Stephen stepped closer to Meredith unfolding his hands and the crystal falls limp.  Wong glared at Stephen and glanced back at Meredith. “Just, let me talk to her, okay?”

Stephen gently put his arm around Meredith and led her back out the door they came through.  The moment the door closed behind them, she looked at him in a panic.

“What the heck did all of that mean?!” Her arms flialed and Stephen could tell she would be prone to hyperventilating soon.

“Come on now, look at me.” Her gaze was again with his, looking very close to tears.  Stephen felt nothing but guilt about her ordeal and thought about what he could do for her to fix it.  “A deep breath now, there we go.”

Meredith breathed in and out and Stephen could feel her shoulders relax under his touch.  

“Okay, just think a second.” There was a pounding at the door and Stephen shot it a dirty look.  “Was there anything that you did different today, anything at all?”

She closed her eyes and really thought about it.  When she opened them, she looked like she had an answer but was going to be stubborn about it.

“I did, but I can’t tell you.” She said darting her gaze to the ceiling.

“What? Why?” Stephen looked at her desperately.

“Well, okay first of all, stranger…”

Stephen rolled his eyes at her.  The pounding on the door was getting louder.

“Does it look like we have time?!” He implored her.

“You people are going to take it away from me.” She took a step backward.

So it was an item, that could be a good thing.  Maybe she could go.

“Look, if I have to, I will bargain with them.” He held her free hand in his. “I’ll do anything I can so that you don’t have to part with whatever it is that you are hiding.”  Stephen watched Meredith respond again to the same sad look.  He truly hoped that his bargaining skills had improved from his foe before.

“Let’s just go back inside and I’ll show it to everyone.” She sighed but then became very stern. “But I will not leave this place without it.”

It was the best Stephen was going to get out of her right now.  He threaded his hand in her’s reassuringly and opened the door.  Behind it were some confused acolytes and a very angry Wong.  

“Back off guy, I think I have what you want.” Meredith boomed into the room.  Stephen was amused as everyone took a step back from the woman.  He watched her as she commanded the space with the smallest of movements.  After reaching under her shirt, Meredith produced a necklace with a small Celtic knot and in its center a pink stone.

The room gasped.  The loss of the Ancient One had truly been terrible.  It resonated with all of the surviving followers.  Seeing the item harkened back to her mysterious origins.  For Stephen however, it added to his interest regarding the cloak.

Meredith respectfully placed it in the center of the scrying table.  

“Do whatever it is you need to do to...clean it or whatever. But I am NOT leaving this place without it in one piece!”  She squared off with Wong when she completed her statement.  It was funny to see her small stature squaring off with the imposing sorcerer. He bowed his head to her and looked up again smiling.  Stephen decided that seeing him smiling in such a way was more terrifying than his blank gaze.

“Well Ms. Meredith, then you’d better get comfortable then.” Said the larger sorcerer in a hauntingly cordial manner.


	5. Redefining Normalcy

48 hours later, Meredith had been allowed one supervised exit, via sparkling portal, home to gather some clothes and her computer.  She fussed about it, but knew that she couldn’t leave without her mother’s necklace.  She fabricated a story for her job that allowed her to work remotely (utilizing conveniently scribbled doctors notes) so that she could keep a little busy.  But she was still very annoyed that she was confined most of the day.  Additionally she was starting to miss her friends as the people here were hard to get along with, save Stephen.  As the afternoon became the evening on Wednesday, Meredith was wandering around the rooms looking for him.  She eventually found the room that they had crashed into the floor back on Monday.  The splintered wood was still there and she could see the floor below through the cracks.  Monday felt so long ago.

“There you are,” Came Stephen’s familiar voice from the other side of the room.

“Oh, Hello,” She said meekly a little disoriented. “I was looking for you.”

“You know I come by as often as I can,” He sounded a little out of breath, “You really shouldn’t be going around here unsupervised.”

“Blah blah, I know I’m like your prisoner or something.” She rattled off irritatedly.  “Can’t go anywhere without you looking over my shoulder.”

“That’s not what I mean,” he sounded exasperated.  She felt bad, it really did sound like he was doing everything he could. “Some of these doors, well they don’t really lead to rooms.  And that’s the least of your worries.” Stephen moved closer.  “How is your shoulder?”

“I really doesn’t hurt anymore.  It don’t think it’s that bad.”

“Okay let’s have a look shall we?”

Meredith noticed that his demeanor changed whenever he checked on her like this.  Always sure and meticulous but still warm.  He loosened the sling they had grabbed from the hospital (via sparkling portal...again).  He placed one hand at her elbow and one in her palm.

“Go limp for me please?” Meredith complied while containing a mental chuckle, letting Stephen rotate and test the joint.

“You know the air about you changes when you check on me.” She said, wondering if he knew.

“Heh, well, it’s what I’m familiar with.  Doctor things.  The sorcery thing is more recent” He moved behind her and gave the joint a quick squeeze. “You’re all good.”

“Thanks,” She dismissed him, of course she was fine. “Really? New?”

“I mean, I’d like to think I know enough to save a life her or there or be moderately dangerous but isn’t any human when they are learning things?” It was an artful deflection, but it wasn’t going to work on her.

“Don’t you miss it though?”  She prodded.

“What?”

“I don’t know, normalcy, a desk job, traveling via airplane, going out to dinner.”  Meredith was aware that he was looking at her intently.  She realized what she had just said and blushed.  “I mean we’re on Bleecker street, this is prime Manhattan real estate going to waste.  There are normal things to do everywhere.  I can see pinkberry from the goddamned window!” She rushed out suddenly feeling nervous.

She caught Stephen smile and glance down at his twitching hands and look away again mildly irritated.  He met her questioning gaze and appeared to sift through words.

“I was, in an accident not long ago.  The extent of my recovery from it...well,” Stephen experimentally gave his hands a shake, “leaves something to be desired in my fine motor control, grip, and steadiness.”  With a heavy sigh Stephen looked at Meredith like a man remembering a dead loved one.  “I feel like in ‘normal’ situations requiring maneuvering of champagne flutes, chopsticks, and other more delicate things; I’d be ruining the elegance of the experience for y-…” Meredith caught a look of surprise from Stephen who checked himself and continued.  “...well for anyone.”

“Oh,” Meredith felt her heart break a little.  What she thought was a nervous tic being revealed as a mournful handicap was so derailing from her point.  She looked out the window again and searched for words in the many passers-by.  Another night here was surely on its way and she didn’t want Stephen to spend it sad.

“Well, then you clearly haven’t experienced true ‘elegance’.” Meredith copiously air-quoted to him earning a smile. She approached him slowly.  “Look, I don’t get along with anyone else here.  And since I’m stuck here until the ‘crystal purging’ is complete, can you supervise me doing something fun?”  She offered expectantly hoping for a change of mood and a compromise.

“I..” Stephen looked down at her and smiled warmly. “So if I said I have to read -”

“I would be pretty pissed you’re blowing of a lady for some books that aren’t going anywhere.” She snapped quickly.  

“Ok ok,” Stephen motioned in surrender and a chuckle. “Let me see what I can do.”

 

\-----

Fall nights were always the best. Meredith loved being cozy with large sweaters while running around outside.  She had fetched a sweater dress from home so she felt perfect for her plans. Waiting by the door, she remembered the last time she had even taken someone out on the town.  Despite passing her 20s, Meredith didn’t describe herself as a homebody yet, but she certainly entertained the idea with the right partner.  Until then, she considered herself to be someone close to the ground following the pulse of the city on nights when she had energy.

_I hope he can talk about what he was like before all this.  None of that superhero secret past nonsense._

It wasn’t like she had been out with a superhero before, but these were odd times and such were things that she had heard.  She recalled Stephen looking so sad and caught in his thoughts about his ever changing world.

“Okay, I’m here.” Stephen said still running down the stairs.  He was sporting a dark blue button down shirt with the buttons straining in mild disarray.  He had thrown a tweed sport coat over his shoulder.  Meredith was stunned at how sharp he looked for something so last minute.  Behind him the crimson cloak was catching up to him.

“Really?” He looked at the hovering cape.  It settled on his shoulders.  “I cannot go out like this.”  On cue, the cloak transformed itself into a long red scarf and tossed the sport coat across the room.

Meredith giggled and walked up to meet him at the end of the stairs.  

“I didn’t realize you owned normal clothes.” She said playfully.  “Here let me.”  She undid the mismatched buttons on his shirt with a smile.  He felt so warm.  She looked up at him, remembering he could potentially find this demeaning but found him smiling back at her while she worked.

“How do you know they’re normal?” Stephen retorted in jest and offered her his arm as they headed through the door. "This could be the blue dress shirt of Maltorius or something."

She giggled at him as the night air washed over her face.  Bleecker street wasn’t terribly busy as it was a Wednesday night.  Meredith led Stephen by the arm to a place she had in mind.

“So what are you plotting?” Stephen asked curiously.

“Oh you’ll see.” She offered. “Aren’t you ever in this area?”

“Not until recently and not outside.”

“That’s terrible.  What were your pastimes before all the dimensional nonsense?”

“I...err.” Stephen’s pause wasn’t about to go unnoticed.

“What? Did _all_ the drugs?” Meredith probed facetiously.

“No, no, not that.” Stephen’s mind was wandering. “In all honesty, I kept as busy as possible.  I was invited to a lot of things.  Like galas and dinner parties.”

“Goodness, did you live on the 30th floor of a high rise just to look down on us all?”

“Heh, 33rd floor and not to look down on people.”

“Sure, sure.” She looked up at him and he looked a little hurt. “You know I’m kidding right?”

“Yes, I know,” He replied. “But it is one way you could look at it.”

Meredith led him to a small building in need of new paint sandwiched between a starbucks and a thriving comedy club.  Taking his hand, she led the way down a steep stairwell to a dark looking door.

“Um” She felt Stephen stiffen.

“Don’t you trust me?” She provided a wounded look.  Opening the door, she revealed a busy restaurant inside.  There were tightly packed tables with red surfaces and a unique collection of glassware to hold small tea candles.  She watched him take in a deep breath of savory and unfamiliar spices from the kitchen.  

“We hadn’t seen you in a while Meredith!” Called out a man exiting the kitchen. “Same spot?”

“Absolutely Thomas.  And leave some space for my date here.” She shot him a glance.  She hoped that was a blush he was wearing on his cheeks.

They sat at a small, unbalanced table.  Meredith immediately portioned out a part of her napkin and folded it under the feet, instantly leveling the surface.

“Where are we?” Stephen was looking around, mouth slightly agape and smiling.

“With what you see every day? Come on.” She sipped her water and finally felt at ease.

“No I’m serious.  I’ve lived in New York all my life and...well, I had no idea.”

“I mean, not a lot of people do, New York is a crazy life force in itself.  Always changing and developing.” She motioned wistfully to everything.  “This is my favorite Ethiopian restaurant.”

He looked at her blankly.

“Surely someone as worldly as you-” She began.

“Was invited all over the world yes, but for quick talks and meager time for hospitality.”  He leaned in closer and dropped his voice a pitch.  “You are the knowledgeable one here my dear.”

His tone send a pleasant chill through her and left her with the feeling of not being knowledgeable about anything under his gaze.  She laughed nervously and waved down Thomas for wine...ANY wine.

“So have you looked over anything in there you’re interested in.” She motioned to the handwritten parchment menu for the week in his hand.  Stephen gave it a quick glance and turned it over on the table.

“It’s not like I know what’s here anyway.” He looked back at her again.  “You suggested this night, so I leave myself in your capable hands.”

He had such levity, near flamboyance, she decided.  

_Must be loopy from finally not breathing air filled with ancient scripture dust._

Their meal arrived and Meredith saw Stephen get a little nervous.  He quickly scanned the table for utensils and found none.  A large tin plate was set between them.  There were small mounds of seasoned meats and cooked vegetables arranged on what looked like a grey lining.  It was all beautifully set like paints on a palette.  Stephen looked at her expectantly.

“Well I did tell you about true ‘elegance’, so now I’ll show you.” Meredith was excited for her plan.  She tore up a piece of the grey lining, she later told him it was called injera (a spongy flatbread).  She then pinched at the various mounds, encasing them in the bread and stuffed it all in her mouth.  

“See!” She said gleefully while covering her mouth.

She watched her reward.  Stephen’s chuckle turned into a smile bright enough to light up the room before he copied her demonstration.  Meredith wanted nothing more than to sit there with him smiling as long as she could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know how familiar you all are with Ethiopian food, but it generally looks like this  
> https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/Alicha_1.jpg  
> And is delicious. You eat it with your hands and New York is kind of all about glamming it up.


	6. Time's up

After two and a half bottles of wine and leaving up the stairs back to Bleecker street, Stephen’s face was a little sore from smiling.  Meredith wobbled a little as she clutched his arm to walk down the busy street.  

“And that’s when I told him ‘My job is working on people’s taxes’ and he bolted out of the room so fast!” Stephen looked down at her and they both laughed heartily.  

“Goodness! Some people right?” Stephen commented finally able to breathe.

“Let’s get some froyo and sit in the park.” Meredith announced to him.

“Wow, seriously? You really call it that?” He chided her jokingly.

“Oh don’t you start with me,” She pointed at him accusingly. “Mister ‘it’s pronounced jif.’”

“But it IS!”

“Is not!”

They eventually come to the aforementioned pinkberry that tortured Meredith so much from the top window.

“You want one?” She asked blinking heavily.

“I’m good.”

“Well I do!”  She acquired a large cup for the road and insisted on feeding him spoonfuls of random assorted toppings.  He accepted each time with a smile.  The taste was fine but not as enjoyable as the look on her face when he tried each bite.  Despite her drunken gait, Meredith led them to a bench in a small park.

Stephen sat there in disbelief.  It wasn’t enough that she was the first woman he had been out with since his accident or repeatedly dying to evil forces, but he was feeling something he never thought he could feel again.  He felt...normal.  He looked at her and tried to savor the crinkle in Meredith’s eyes when she laughed, the fact that he was in park back home, that when he talked he was speaking about Stephen.  Not Master, not sorcerer, not even doctor.  

“Hey,” Meredith called to him. “You still with me?”

“More than you know.” He smiled back at her for the millionth time.  

She put the cup down and leaned back on the bench lolling her head onto his shoulder.  Stephen enjoyed the weight of her there.  It reminded him that she was real.  

“How long do we have left?” She asked quietly.

“Long enough.” Stephen stated unconvincingly.

“Never long enough.” She retorted.  “I’m not at this park as often as I’d like.  I used to creepily watch people play with their dogs or the fountain in the summer.”

“It’s never creepy to watch people and their dogs, especially if you don’t have one.” He nudged her to prove his point.

She looked up at him and chuckled.  

“Then they notice you.  I’ve worked my whole life to be pretty unnoticeable, unremarkable.  Just loving the simple things.  Happy to be a cog in the machine.” Meredith shared matter-of-factly.

“I specifically don’t have people in my life that fit that description.  I’m going to have to rate you as at least somewhat remarkable.”  Stephen snaked his arm around her.  Not as a play, but to fend off the thought of having her go.

“And then you had to go and ruin my track record.” She said very sarcastically.  

Then Stephen realized it.  Their gaze was locked and he was in territory that should have been very familiar.  But it wasn’t.  He hasn’t entertained kissing someone for such a long time.  He had to suppress the desire to laugh at such a normal feeling of anxiety. Cautiously he caressed her cheek and moved in closer.

\--

With a large cracking sound and several shrieks in the area, a blue beam nearly demolishes the real tree beside Stephen and Meredith.  It doesn’t connect thanks to Stephen throwing up a wide inclusion to the mirror dimension

_ There really has to be another way to keep everyone safe. _

“Stephen!” Meredith cries out but it was too late, an incoming punch from a mindless one sends him nearly to the ground.  The cloak, no longer a scarf, keeps him from impacting the floor.  It darts him again out of way of an onslaught of beatings into the ground.  

“Meredith!” They are getting separated, this must be their goal this time.  Her scream echoes disorientingly but he tries to run toward them, the cloak darting him out of the way of beams and punches.  Between the beings he can catch a glimpse of what’s behind them.  A dark humanoid figure with tentacles is moving toward Meredith.  She’s be knocked down so she starts to crawl away, her back towards the figure.  Moving inhumanly fast, the figure grabs Meredith by the hair and puts its face next to her ear.  Stephen conjures shields and moves as quickly as he can through the mindless ones’ attacks.  He can see the figure release her hair, retract his fist, and punch powerfully downward onto Meredith’s back between her shoulder blades.

“No!” He’s able to get some air and conjures his crackling bands and whips them around the being’s wrist preventing another strike.  The being looks at Stephen, eyes full of the void and tentacles from his jowls.  It pulls Stephen toward him with a tug on the band startling him.  The being catches him by the throat, claws circling around to the back of his neck. 

“We…will have...what we...came for…” It looks back at an unmoving Meredith and back to Stephen.

“I...won’t...let you!” Stephen blasts the face of the being with other-dimensional flames knocking the being backwards.  With a loud hiss of satisfaction, it splays it’s claws and a dark portal opens behind it.  He passes through it with ease as Stephen conjures a band to try and hold it here.  The band finds nothing and dissipates.  The mindless ones are reduced to mounds of glittering purple ash.  

“Meredith!” Stephen runs to her body on the ground.  He quickly examines her back and finds...nothing? No imprints or bruising even.  Had he seen something unreal? She stirs and sits up. 

“I...something’s...off.” Is all she can muster before she faints.  Stephen catches her from hitting the ground again.  After summoning a portal home he carries her in his arms.  There’s still weight on his arms and there’s still the breath on her lips.  As far as he can tell, she’s still here.

_ Time’s up I guess. _


	7. What lies inside

_ We...await...your orders...Astaroth. _

“Get away!” Meredith shot up trying to steady herself on..the bed?

She was back at Stephen’s sanctuary.  Her breathing was heavier than other times that she’s woken suddenly.  Leaning forward she examined the small cuts on her shaking hands.  Nothing felt broken or hurt, but something felt wrong. Stephen stood up from a chair across the room.

“Oh my goodness are you alright?” Stephen darted from the chair directly to her side.  He was in his undershirt now which was odd after getting used to seeing him in ornate robes all the time.  

“I...I don’t know.” She wasn’t quite sure how to communicate not feeling...right. “I really wish I did though.”

“Hey,” Stephen put his hand on her’s comfortingly.  “You opted for ignorance.” He offered her a weary smile.  “You’re up right now and that’s better than nothing.”

“How angry are they with you?” Meredith tried to change the subject.

“About the same as usual.” He stood up.  “Which is generally pretty angry.  Can you stand?” He offered her a hand.

Meredith took it but something even felt off in her movements.  Objectively she was moving normally, but to her it was a disorienting experience to stand.  Surveying herself trying to sense a source, she found that her sweater was gone and she was in Stephen’s dress shirt and leggings.  However, that was not the source of her odd feeling.

“Something...is weird.”  She finally managed.

Stephen’s expression instantly switched from compassionate caretaker to downright concern.  

“Okay, it doesn’t matter how mad they are with me I’m getting you to Wong right now.” He scooped her up and ran her down the hall.  Meredith hardly had a moment to realize what was happening before they were fleeing down the corridors.  They came to an acolyte at the door.

“You can’t come in now, they’re almost done with the amulet.” She offered flatly.

“There was just an attack -”

“We sensed, but you handled it in a record time.  I imagine everything is fine.”

“It’s not! They did something to her!” Stephen boomed irritatedly.

“You should assess her first,” The acolyte added smugly. “You need the practice.”  She waved him to an empty and uninviting room.

Stephen put Meredith down as the door closed behind him.  He tried to give her a reassuring look, but it was no use.

“Need the practice eh?” She tried desperately to lighten the mood, try to focus on the positives of her situation.  He had a point, she was functioning, moving around and such.  Maybe this was just how she was now.  

“Now is not the time to hold rank over me.” Stephen muttered at the door.  “You deserve someone who can help you if something is wrong.”

“You’ve helped me plenty.” Meredith motioned downwards and at her shoulder in an effort to build his confidence.  Something inside her felt comfort in his care and she decided that anyone else assessing her magically wouldn’t do.  “Let’s just think of this like a medical examination, ask me some questions.”

“Eh…” Stephen started, awkwardly standing across from her. “So, how are you feeling?”

Meredith gave some experimental stretches in her arms and articulation of her hands and feet.  

“It feels, foggy.”

“Okay, I can work with that.” Stephen was starting to pace. “Did anything happen when you were unconscious?  Did that thing do anything to you?”

Meredith closed her eyes and sifted through her memories.  

“In honesty, I think he said something in a language I didn’t understand.  Very quietly though.  He was in my dream, asking for something.  Which is odd, because I don’t dream.”

Stephen stopped in his tracks and looked at her.

“Don’t dream?”

“I haven’t since I was 17, after my dad disappeared.” Meredith said matter-of-factly.

“I’m sorry.” Stephen looked pained but still calculating.

“We have other matters, it’s okay.”

“Okay...don’t dream...then he could have affected your astral form.” Stephen half lit up at the connection and furrowed in concern at the implication.

“My...nevermind.  Tell me what we can do now.”

“I mean, I could take a look.”

“Okay, and how can we do that? Do I need a magical hospital gown?” She tried to not sound sarcastic and more hopeful with him.  His smiled indicated it worked a little.

“I can use a move that was used on me, but I’ve never gotten it down right.”  Stephen bounced a little like a frustrated child.  “Okay, I’m going to try the move alternatively.  Can you promise to stay still?”

“Um, other than just standing?” Meredith planted her feet.

“Perfect.” He said and closed his eyes.  Stephen started to fall backwards, but as Meredith began to reach out for him she blacked out.

 

\-----

Stephen had perfected this many times, exiting his corporeal body.  He popped out with ease and felt a little better.  On this plane, he had plenty of time.  He took a breath and floated forward.  For some reason it had been easier for him to push out other astral bodies if he was already there, like helping someone out of a hole.  He faced Meredith and watched as her reaction to him falling washed over her features in incredibly slow motion.  Sometimes Stephen felt he could watch the world like this, but that wasn’t why he was here today.  He got a little excited to share a moment with her like this on the astral plane.  He lined up his palm to her heart chakra, withdrew, and struck.

Stephen was not prepared for what he saw.  What exited Meredith was nothing like the young woman he had been with for the past few days.  A dark creature three times his size pushed out into the space before him.  Stephen braced himself but the creature did not stir, it’s eyes were shut.  It’s shoulders were broad and adorned with ancient armor.  Horns curled back around its ears to menacing points.  Stephen scanned downward trying to study the being.  Against its chest was the figure of a woman about Meredith’s age, her hair was a bit lighter though.  He couldn’t make out much else as one of the beast’s long claws covered her eyes and another from the other hand covered her mouth.  Her hands were laid across her chest in burial and she was dressed in a pure white gown.  She seemed as if she were being absorbed by the demon as her form dissipated where her legs should have been.  

The sound of the door clicking caught Stephen’s attention causing him to turn around.  He saw the door starting to swing but he was also now facing Meredith’s back.  The point in her back where the being from earlier had punched her now had a spiderweb of cracks along her skin.  She looked as if she were made of porcelain. A soft pink light was  shining through the spaces.   Upon examining them further, a crack extended itself slightly along Meredith’s neck.  The demon began to stir.  In a panic, Stephen flung everything back toward Meredith’s corporeal form and returned to his.  As he came to, Wong flung open the doors screaming ‘STOP’ as Stephen hit the floor on his butt.  He watched Meredith collapse in front of him in a heap, unconscious again.

 


	8. Memories

Despite all that happened, the only solace Stephen drew from this experience was that of watching Wong give dirty looks to the acolyte that had turned him away at the door.  However, everything else had him confused and concerned.  It was too many feelings overall.  

“Her amulet is a binding crystal,” Wong appeared next to him, tone much more compassionate that it had ever been before.  “It will shatter in the hands of a competent sorcerer but we don’t know why.  The implications could be unleashing whatever you saw on the world.”

“Is there a way to know?” Stephen pried. “I don’t think she knows about what’s going on at all.”

Wong took a seat next to Stephen on the floor.  The doctor hadn’t moved despite all of the commotion around him; acolytes and apprentices moving materials into the room, them placing Meredith’s body onto a table, how late it was getting into the night.

“Stephen” Wong began, looking off into the distance with Stephen. “We talk a lot about the beings that plague earth.  Those are pretty obvious.  But, I guess, it doesn’t seem mandatory in the teachings to talk about immortal beings hiding among the people.”

“Like the Ancient One?” Stephen glanced at him, not entirely following.

“Yes, but a little less renowned than her.”  Wong nodded, “Specifically less so, trying to hide and cause no impact whatsoever.  But she even developed this similar pattern.  They tend to really love simple things; good coffee, tree bark patterns, menial jobs, a particular era of music.”

“She listened to music?” 

“Oh yea,” Wong smiled.  “A Mozart groupie before those were even a thing.  Beatles-mania hit and she was...swept up in it.”

Stephen smiled.  He was putting together what Wong was implying but actively and vehemently rejecting it.

“I’m just saying, Asgardians that fall for humans, Kree that really get into our microbreweries, or Inhumans that use their powers for intricate zoetropes -”

“I get it,” Stephen finally stopped him not meaning to sound as annoyed has he did.  “But we don’t know anything about her yet other than what I saw.  I don’t think she even knows.  What can we do about it?”

Wong stood up and offered Stephen a hand.  They stood up together and the room stilled.

“You were on the right track.  The dreaming piece was important.  We have to unlock her subconscious and see what it can tell us.”

“Um, okay.  I’m not that kind of doctor.” Stephen said sarcastically.  Wong did not react.  

“Just stand over there.”  Wong instructed, back to his cold tone.  “I think you’re going to be the only one that she will let in.”

Wong very gently placed the amulet around Stephen.  

“Do not touch this.  The crystal is incredibly delicate in this Sanctum.”  Wong’s stern tone startled the doctor.

“Not touching! Will not touch, understood.”  Stephen showed his hands and put them behind his back.  

Acolytes stood around Meredith on the table.  They stood with hands in formation to channel whatever energy they could to help with this process.  Wong withdrew his hand and readied it for a move that Stephen knew too well.  The doctor tried to brace for it, but it was always a chaotic experience.  A pointed impact to his crown chakra forced him out of the room and into a mess of colors.  This experience seemed different from when the Ancient One had sent him reeling through multiverses.  He was anchored by the amulet on his chest, kept to this realm.  He glanced about himself and watched as buildings receded and water levels evened out.  Time was moving backwards but not in the same way he had wielded the Eye of Agamotto.  No, these were…

“Memories” Stephen muttered to himself.  He was anchored in place while the world moved around him at break neck speed.  The glowing pink crystal hummed, seeming to have a destination as the reversal of time appeared to be slowing.  The change in pace disoriented Stephen a little bit.  When he stepped back to steady himself, his hand met a stone wall.  Everything had stopped.  He looked up and found himself in a room made of rock and granite.  It looked like it was in a castle.  A bright fire played with the shadows of the objects in the room.  Several weapons and parts of armor were hung on pegs in the wall.  What looked like faceless dummies with odd carvings across their chests rested beneath some of the pegs.  In the center of it all was a wood table coated with a crimson cover.  The facets of crystals and indentations of runes littered the red fabric.  A middle aged man was nervously working at the table, frantically thumbing through the pages of a large book. 

There was the small patter of footsteps as a young woman, she appeared about 17, ran into the room.  

“Father he accepted.” the girl whispered to the nervous man. “Half now, half later. He said we have served him well.”

They both ducked behind the table and dumped a handful of gold coins into a sack.  The girl looked at her father and smiled.

“We will be free of Le Fay’s demons?” She asked him sweetly.

“It was a high price, but I know you will.” The man cupped her face.  “Merlin will keep you safer than I ever could.”

“You have to come with me! Please!” The girl looked like she would cry. “With mother dead and if you stay here, what am I supposed to do?”

“You have more talent and power than you know.” The man kissed her forehead.

There was a large crash and a strong smell of sulfur.  A wall down the hallway had been broken down.  The pair glanced at each other in panic.  It had been the only way out of this particular room in the castle.  Quickly the man glanced around the room and pointed to a trunk.  The girl got inside and peered out, poking up the top of the chest slightly.  It would have to do the man decided.  From the mess on the table, the man grabbed an amulet with a white stone.  Stephen noticed it looked very similar to Meredith’s amulet around his neck.

The ground shook with each step as the beast from the hallway came closer to the room.  With a large crack, the being kicked down the door frame.  Through the dust and rubble, a hauntingly familiar form came into view but with oddly human features.  A well built man that towered over six feet tall had horns emerging from his bald head.  He was adorned with dark toned armor that seemed to be fused to his skin.  Black claws seemed to have torn through his fingertips.  He wielded a large morningstar that was covered in blood.  The bottom of the morningstar’s handle had it’s own blade for close quarter combat.

“TRAITOR!” The beast roared as it entered the room and locked eyes with the man at the table.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about Astaroth.” The man replied, trying to cover a shaking voice.

“My soldiers were trapped! As USELESS MORTALS!!” It only took three steps for the being to be face to face with the man.  “They dropped like flies!”

“Y-You asked for a means to walk on this plane.  I only offered a c-compromise to preserve the souls of my kind.  I did not know they would be t-trapped.” The man kept a hand behind him, it began to glow.

“This is what we get for not following the old ways.” The beast said in a much lower tone. “Demons will feed on human souls, from now and until the end of time.” The beast’s eyes glowed a deep green as he charged forward with inhuman speed. “TRAITOROUS RUNEMASTER!” 

Stephen watched the blur of the beast as he drove the handle of the morningstar through the man’s gut.  The glow in his hands slowly dying.  The runemaster crumpled onto the floor into a growing pool of his own blood as the beast walked away and stood in front of one of the runed mannequins.  Despite surely dying, the man looked determined and his hand glowed anew.

“Father no!” The girl had emerged from the trunk and ran to tend to his wounds.

“Meredith no!” But it was too late.  Astaroth easily plucked the woman from the ground, her whole skull fit in his one hand.  

“What’s this?” The demon hissed inquisitively. “Your spawn?”

The man on the ground looked too stunned to respond.

“I will show you the value of the old ways, runemaster. Oh how delicious her soul shall be.”

The demon instantly snapped Meredith’s neck.  He opened his mouth and Stephen could see the wisps of her soul slowly being consumed.

“NO!” The whole of the room seemed to shake as the man on the ground summoned a powerful white flame Stephen had never encountered.  It seemed to miss and go through Astaroth and Meredith hitting the dummy behind them.  But both the demon and Meredith’s bodies dropped to the ground.  All of the demonic features of the larger man seemed to dissipate.  Light shown through the outer carvings on the chest of the dummy and began to move inward toward the center.   Suddenly Stephen understood.

The man launched himself at the figure splashing his own blood on the last rune before the the light could reach it.  He then threw the amulet around the the neck of the dummy and sliced his thumb across a sharp edge of the white stone inside.  It took on a deep pink. 

The construct opened it’s eyes.  Eyes that were familiar to Stephen.  

“What do you wish of me?” It spoke with a hollow voice.

“Save Meredith! Bring her forth! Please!” The man cried out.

“I’m sorry.” The construct looked down at the man.  “There is not enough of her left to do that.”

The man began to sob.

“Anything then, to preserve her.”

“She can be preserved in this subconscious.” The construct spoke.

“And what can you do with the demon?” The man began to cough.

“Effectively in restrained until I find one with your ability that can vanquish him.”

“And can separate them.” The man added quickly.  

The construct nodded.

“One more request.” The man sputtered. “Give her as much control as you can.  Give her a full lifetime, lifetimes for that matter. And most of all.” The man looked down at the blood pooling in his hands. “Give her no memory of this.”

_ FATHER NO!! _

Stephen could hear Meredith’s voice in the present screaming from the table.  It was all too much for him to process.

“It will be done.” The construct said, slowly taking on more of the appearance of the current Meredith.  Long hair fell past her shoulders and skin covered the seams in her joints.  

“I’m sorry.” The man muttered as he collapsed on the floor.

The construct turned away from the man and headed to where the door used to be.  With a blink and a bow, Stephen watched her become more and more the Meredith he knows now.  Meredith opened her eyes after a while and looked at the room without recognition.  She took off running.

The amulet around Stephen’s neck shines bright.  Remembering the specific instructions, he restrains himself from touching it.  Time seems to move forward in leaps.  Notable moments in Meredith’s life flash before him. He can tell how the construct ages slowly and stays just out of harm's way through history.  Her leaving the land of Arthurian legend, fighting to learn what she could through the Renaissance, finding her way through some dregs of Victorian society, aiding children through  the industrial revolution, and setting foot in New York.    He sees a flash as they reach the moment that she’s met him.  Then there is a light that is too bright for him to see and he shuts his eyes.

When Stephen opens his eyes again, he’s in the room filled with people. He glances around and sees a concerned Wong and several acolytes making room for him.  It is clear that all have seen what he had seen through their channeling.  As the people part he sees Meredith kneeling on the floor.  She’s crying silently and staring at her hands in disbelief and shock.  Looking up, her glassy eyes meet his and wordlessly beg for something, a prayer that he will approach her.  Stephen cannot wipe the stunned expression from his face, the hurt he feels from the general universe.  He breaks their connection and leaves the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know. This whole updating thing is hard when you're writing a dissertation.  
> I hope you enjoy this turn.


	9. What you do next

Desperately needing a change of scenery, Meredith holed up in a courtyard at the center of the sanctum.  She sat on the edge of their center fountain and stared at the blue bricks in the ground.  Tears kept falling down her face but her breathing remained steady.  She was trying to keep her limbs out of view, avoid her reflection in the courtyards ponds, trying to disconnect with the whole of her body.

_It’s all a lie anyway._

She didn’t know if she wanted to be alone or in a sea of people, if she wanted to be acknowledged or ignored…

_Stand still with the rest of the furniture like I’m supposed to._

She shook her head violently trying to banish the thought but it was too much.  

A warm breeze from an opening door caught her attention.  There was a familiar rustling of the red cloak.  Meredith visibly recoiled from the entity but caught her reflection in the water as she darted backward.  She froze, collapsing back onto the edge of the fountain and began to sob into her hands.

When she looked up again the cloak was in front of her hovering at eye level.  It extended an edge to her cheek and absorbed a tear.  All Meredith could muster was a half smile at the ridiculousness of the situation.

“We have a lot in common I guess.” She said trying to catch her breath.

The cloak rustled like a cat purring, a sound Meredith found oddly comforting.  It hovered over her shoulders with incredible trepidation before settling the way it usually did with Stephen.  Meredith felt herself to be weightless and it carried her off the ground and to her feet.  Once standing, the cloak popped off and shook like a wet dog.

“I know, I’m not him, but thank you.” Meredith stated with a touch of sadness.

Before she could feel worse, the cloak moved back toward the door inside and motioned for her to follow.  

Despite all of the commotion that had just occurred, many of the Sanctum’s inhabitants had retired to their rooms.  The ordeal had taken most of the night but Meredith knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep if she tried.  Right now, she was focused on following the cloak.  It was easier than sitting alone with herself.

They snuck around corridors, flattening against walls when someone was close and Meredith holding her breath when the cloak led her into a closet.  It was all a great distraction until they came close to a room containing the hushed whispers of Stephen and Wong.  The cloak moved expecting Meredith to follow, but she stayed and pressed her ear against the wooden door.

“It’s what needs to be done.” Wong whispered.

“I don’t know.” Stephen answered. “I’m in no state to do anything like this.”

“She’s a construct.” Wong said as quietly and sternly as he could.

“Holding a human soul, that makes her human...right?” Stephen added unsure.

Meredith was tugged away, one tendril of fabric around her mouth to muffle her annoyance and another gently gripping her wrist.  Once out of earshot, the cloak loosened its grip and let her speak.

“Okay okay I get it,” She whispered. “I won’t stop.”

The cloak led her through a doorway and Meredith recognized the room they had initially entered through the glittering portal.  The floor still had smashed wood splinters and she wondered if it would ever get fixed.  Recalling it all felt like a lifetime ago.  Still guiding her, the cloak led her to an empty glass case.  She read the plaque on the base of the structure.

“Cloak of Levitation, I’m guessing that’s you?”

The cloak nodded and led her to a loosely bound book of messy parchment behind the case.  Meredith flipped through it with curiosity.  

“There’s a lot of torn pages in here,” She remarked.  “Scattered over history.  I wonder if you’re older than me.”  She smiled, realizing it was the first joke she had made about her learned existence.

The cloak shrugged.  Writings on the early pages were from several different individuals each claiming to have first discovered the cloak.  The pages of the hastily bound book had large gaps in time, it may have spanned a great deal but only 50 years of information was discernible from the mess.

“You don’t know?”

The cloak shook it’s collar in a “no”.

Meredith looked down at her hands and back at the fabric.

“Do you actually want to?”

Knowing the complexity of the answer, Meredith didn’t expect this articulation to be easy.  Instead, capturing her wrist again, the cloak led her to another book, more neatly bound.  Meredith picked it up to read.  It was a book for the history of the Wand of Watoomb.  It outlined the moment of its inception, complex images of native peoples recording it’s existence and powers, and news clippings of unexplained miracles tied to owners of the wand on record.

“Well this definitely has a lot of information.” Meredith commented on the book.

The cloak fluttered a bit in irritation.  It shut the book in a swift angry motion and floated by with an exaggerated sulking posture.  Meredith put the book back and immediately felt guilty.

“But your history, where you’ve come from doesn’t limit who you are now.” She added reproachfully.  “It’s about what you do next.”

Meredith didn’t know how, but the cloak appeared to beam smugly at her.  It lifted a hemmed edge and pat her on the head.  She paused...had she just been schooled by a cloak?  She wanted to groan, instead she sighed and smiled.

“So I guess you’re okay not ever knowing who made you?” Meredith added sarcastically.

The cloak settled onto a chair, not even acknowledging the question.  

Meredith settled onto the floor in the middle of the room.  The moonlight poured into the room via a skylight illuminating her on the ground.

“What do you think I should do next?” Meredith asked the cloak, not really expecting an answer.  “I mean, I’m apparently harboring a demon that can wipe out man and the dying soul of the woman I was supposed to be centuries ago.  What does someone even do with that kind of information!”

The cloak didn’t move.

“I mean, what will happen.  Will I die? Not just the girl who apparently is my subconscious but….me?” She got up and started pacing. Her, Meredith the coffee-loving, tax preparing New Yorker; she thought to herself.  

“I am...me, right?  If I believe that I am alive, isn’t that enough to be considered so?”

The cloak continued to remain still.  She sighed in frustration and sat down on the ground again.  She looked up at the ceiling unfocused on anything in particular.

“Just when you think you’re about to discover a good thing.”  She trailed off.  She brought both her hands up to grip the collar of Stephen’s dress shirt still around her and tugged it tight.  “Is he alright?  Is he lonely?” This time Meredith asked the cloak in earnest.

The cloak rotated on the chair away from her, not wanting to answer the question.

“I know, I know he probably thinks I-” She took a deep breath not wanting to cry again.  “There are just moments that he looks so sad.”

The cloak finally slid off the chair and touched her hand.  It mimicked the shoulder movements of a heavy sigh.  There was a moment of silence as they both thought about what to do next.

“If we don’t kill the demon everyone will die, won’t they.  Including him.”

The cloak held her hand and gave an affectionate squeeze.  Eventually it helped Meredith to her feet and pointed her to the room the two men had been whispering in.  Only they weren’t whispering anymore, they were talking but trying to keep their heated voices down.

Meredith loudly opened the door to reveal two men facing each other across opposite sides of a small kitchen table.  They both offered her a startled look as she stepped into the room.

“It’s my life. I want you to kill Astaroth by any means necessary.” She gave her statement with authority.  Not waiting for their response, Meredith turned around and left the room.


	10. What we do before

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SMUT

A warm shower and getting back into familiar clothes helped Meredith settle her mind.  Even with the weird schedule of events she knew sleep had to happen at some point. She was feeling more like herself, spending time brushing her drying hair and comfortable in her large sleep shirt.  It was almost enough to make checking Facebook seem meaningful...almost.

There was a knock at her door and Stephen peered in without her response.

“I...Goodness I’m sorry.” He said quickly, trying to shut the door.

“No, no it’s fine.  Come in.” She stated placing the brush on her laptop.

“Alright...” Stephen fully entered.  He was still in his undershirt but sporting what looked like gi pants. “I’ve been meaning to come by and...apologise.”

“It isn’t necessary.” Meredith said matter-of-factly.

“But it is.” He said, decidedly looking at the ground.

Meredith sat on the bed and patted the space next to her but Stephen remained standing.

“Look, it’s been a lot to process in the past day.  I, know it’s not anything that you’re doing on purpose, but I felt really...like I got the rug pulled out from under me.” He looked at her and sighed. “I’m just really tired of feeling that way.”

“Well, buddy, I sure have bad news for you about the rest of your life.” She said mockingly, the absurdity of the situation just unavoidable.

“I know,” Stephen put a hand to his face and visibly dragged it down his cheek in frustration.  “I know. But, I also realized whatever I’m feeling has to be worse for you.” He finally sat down next to her on the bed.  “I don’t care what you told me a few hours ago. You don’t have to do this.” He took both of her hands in his. 

“What would I do?” She asked earnestly.  “Go back? To taxes and pinkberry? When you found out about this world, could you?”

“I…” Stephen stroked her hands in thought. “If I had an out, I’ve considered taking it.”

“Well there’s no wrong considering,” She tried to catch his gaze. “People have abandoned ship for less.  I just have the opportunity to prevent pain in a lasting way.” Meredith glanced into his glassy eyes. “And I’m going to take it.”

Stephen looked utterly deflated.  His hands shook as he tried to hold her’s tighter. 

“It was supposed to be so simple.” He choked out the words.  “I saw you falling and I thought ‘hey, I can stop that. Today I can have a victory and save a civilian.’” His tone quickly shifted into peeved annoyance.  “You would think I could get that, hero 101.” He turned away from her, letting her hands go. “But no, I don’t get to do that. I get to dismantle you. The one person that has made me feel normal in a long, long time.”

“Hey,” Meredith grabbed his face making him focus on her. “You know this isn’t about you, it is my life to sacrifice, for the good of the world.  I was kind of hoping the guy who died countless times for a small eternity would get where I’m coming from.”

Stephen looked stunned for a moment.  Then he smiled in understanding. He put his hand over her’s on his cheek and turned to kiss her palm.  The touch of his lips against her hand shot through Meredith like electricity. She found herself searching for words only to lose them in the blues and greens of Stephen’s eyes. Words weren’t going to come and there was no point in subtleties now.  She dove forward and purposefully kissed Stephen.

 

It began soft, Stephen showing mild shock and melting into her.  Meredith catalogued the tickle of his beard and Stephen’s unique earthy smell.  He sucked a deep breath through his nose and ran his fingers through Meredith’s hair sending electricity along her scalp.  She ran her tongue across his lip in curiosity and Stephen’s lips parted for breath and to allow her continued exploration.  Meredith could feel his other hand snaking around her. She felt him try to grasp her tighter and his hands began to shake. Stephen grunted in frustration, immediately turning the tone of their kisses from curious exploration to control.  

Without a need for grip, Meredith felt his hand steady her neck while Stephen pushed past her lips in a defiant action.  She responded by running her fingers through Stephen’s hair and along his back, earning a visible chill from him. Stephen then helped her settle in his lap where they took in some air.  Resting their foreheads on each other’s, they looked away from each other’s gaze and breathed heavily. The air was thick enough to cut with words that wanted to be spoken by both parties.  As if connected, their darkened gaze met at the same time in understanding. Their lips crashed together again in desperation this time. Stephen pulled Meredith’s hips flush with his and she cupped his face while beginning to get his shirt off.  

When Meredith successfully removed the fabric, she splayed her hand on Stephen’s abdomen pushing beneath his pants while planting a kiss on his neck.  She reveled in the vibration of his moan against her lips. He pushed a hand under her shirt to run dull nails down her back and Meredith purred at the direct touch.  There was an unnatural magic sound and Meredith found herself naked. Stephen only grinned at her surprised reaction. She felt his warm breath over her breast before he kissed a pert nipple.  Meredith moaned as her thoughts became foggy, overwhelmed by Stephen’s adoration with his tongue. She felt his over hand ghost over the other side, not quite grasping. He seemed to be exploring his limits and she didn’t really mind.  Meredith detached him from her chest and took Stephen’s face to meet her’s, concern growing on his features. She eyed his soft lips and attacked them again, making Stephen pliant as she pushed him backward.

Meredith then went for his waistband, trying to get his pants off of him.  Not one to complain, Stephen willed his clothing away as well. He was now backed against the bed’s headboard, while she explored his chest with gentle kisses.  She took a moment to adjust herself and look down at the man beneath her. Stephen was very lean, some scars were left from his accident on his chest. He also sported a small unnatural burn on his ribs.  It was all lovely, she had to admit. She gazed further down to find him aroused and hard for her. She offered a kind kiss on his inner thigh and Stephen tried to swallow a groan. She hovered her hand over his cock so he could feel the heat from her palm.  Stephen whimpered as their flesh made connection. He continued to make little sounds as Meredith encircled his cock. She brushed over the head experimentally earning her a loud cry. Looking up at him with concern but still grasping, she saw Stephen developing a light sweat on his features.

“Sorry,” He said starting to blush and mumble.“It’s...been a while.”

Not breaking her gaze, Meredith gave an experimental pump and Stephen’s chest lurched forward.  He opened his eyes and Meredith could tell he was getting redder.

“Okay, a long while.  And you feel so utterly amazing.” 

That answered it for Meredith.  Masturbating was hard for Stephen without his grip strength.  She tried to push the pity aside and instead continued her work with vigor.  She was intoxicated by the power she had over him. Angling downward, the watched him react to her warm breath on the head of his cock.  Stephen’s eyes shot open, his cock twitched in her hand. Looking up at him, Meredith moved torturously slow as took as much as she could of him into her mouth.  

“Ah...Meredith...yes” He cooed in his deep baritone.  She gave exploratory movements with her tongue, committing every sensation and all of his reactions to memory.  Once satisfied with her findings, she started to move in rhythm. She was continually rewarded by Stephen’s twitching and cries.  She hollowed her cheeks and took him as deep as she could. It wasn’t long at all before she could hear him trying to protest. 

“Oh no...I’m going- uhh.” Stephen couldn’t catch himself in time even if he truly wanted to.  Meredith let the taste of him fill her mouth as she coaxed each bit of his orgasm out of him. She quickly swallowed, the action surprising her a little, but she beamed with pride.  However, when she looked down, he was still hard.

“Wha-” She looked at him confused.  Stephen was still aglow and catching his breath.

“By awhile...I mean...nearly a year.” He confessed.  

Stephen took advantage of her stunned expression to kiss her feverishly.  He didn’t seem to care that she probably tasted like him. This time she obeyed quickly as he guided her back, never breaking their kiss.  His large hand slid along her thigh, threatening to reach her center. She tried to kick her legs up around his waist, urging him to move his hand elsewhere.  But he stilled her and moved torturously slow through her folds. She moaned at his touch, but Stephen was teasing avoiding her sensitive bud but maneuvering in her slickness.  

“Do you trust me?” Stephen whispered between his teeth as he nibbled her ear.  Meredith nodded quickly.

There was a glow and crackle as all of her consciousness seemed to fuse with her nerve endings.  It wasn’t unpleasant but she whimpered at the increased intensity of points of contact on her skin.  Her blood was singing, like she could hear it rushing within her ears. With agonizing slowness, Stephen dragged the pad of his finger against her clit from bottom to top.  Meredith cried out, feeling her core drop in a wave of orgasm. She clutched Stephen like an anchor to reality through the pleasure wracking through her body. She caught her breath as tremors began to subside. When she opened her eyes again, sensation seemed to be separate from consciousness now and at a manageable state. 

“Wha-...you?” She managed between breaths.  Stephen could only grin in pride. 

Meredith took deep breaths, willing her body to relax.  She reached up to pull him into a tender kiss. While what he had done left Meredith feeling amazing, she was overwhelmed with a feeling of emptiness.  Stephen had not moved his hips in a while, so Meredith made her needs clear by weakly rubbing herself against his member.

Stephen hissed.  “Are you sure?” asked, nearly a whisper.

“Yes, please Stephen.” Meredith responded against his neck.

It took nearly no effort for him to slide into her.  Despite frayed nerves, the feel of him stretching tired muscles felt lovely.  Stephen’s elbow nearly gave out as he reached his hilt. Looking up, Meredith adored the sight of this man.  His expression was that of concentration and mild embarrassment, and complete arousal. Catching her gaze, Stephen captured her lips in a kiss and gave his hips an experimental rock.  He swallowed all of her surprised noises. 

Her core was tired, but Meredith could feel the familiar flutter of orgasm building in her.  She started to clench around him unconsciously, earning a stutter in the man’s hips.

“That’s...a dangerous thing to do.” Stephen swallowed hard with focus, blinking back the spots that threatened his vision.

“I can’t help it.” Meredith answered in earnest and frustration in his pause.  

Stephen quickly and messily gathered the blanket into a mound under her hips and started again.

The new angle sent electricity down to Meredith’s fingertips.  She cried out wantonly, locking her legs around him like a vice.  

“Oh god yes!” She gasped. “Don’t stop!” She could feel the burn in all of her muscles, she was being pushed to utter exhaustion.

Her orgasm crashed through her, wringing both strain and relief from her.  The feel of him inside for the initial wave made her feel whole. 

With a thrust or two left, Stephen retracted as his body stiffened with release.  His seed making a mess on Meredith’s stomach. Euphoria was still written on his face as he fell forward inches away from Meredith’s face.  Both gasping for air, they finally locked eyes again. They shared a chaste kiss. And with that, Stephen rolled to the side of her to rest.

\---

Stephen fended off sleep.  Using magic to clean them, he instead savored the weight and breath of the woman in his arms.  Meredith was nestled against his chest, resting. He ran his fingers through her dark hair in contemplation and affection.  The effects of neurotransmitters had long since worn off and Stephen was left with the torn feeling of the upcoming day. He held her tighter, burying his face in her hair. 

The tickle of his beard along her scalp made Meredith stir to alertness.  

“Sorry,” Stephen whispered. “I didn’t mean-”

“S’fine.” She mumbled looking up at him in the last of the moonlight.  “I feel like I’ve spent my whole existence sleeping.”

He offered a half-hearted noise in memory and understanding as a response.

“I’m glad I got to spend some time awake.” She looked up at him sweetly.  “I’m glad I got to spend it with you.”

Stephen kissed Meredith’s forehead, but couldn’t bring himself to look at her again.  It just hurt too much. Instead he watched the sunrise on the Manhattan skyline, rays of light touching the thousands of people that would never know of the evils that Meredith kept from befalling them.


	11. Unfair

“He cannot be fought in the mirror dimension, or you will trap her soul there.”  Wong paced the largest room of the Hong Kong Sanctum like a drill sergeant addressing the various acolytes along the walls.  “The moment Astaroth is free, the mindless ones will sense him on this plane and attack. This location is still being rebuilt, so a fight would result in less collateral damage.”

In the center of the room, Stephen and Meredith stood facing each other.  

“Stephen,” Wong boomed. “We will support you, but it will be up to you to face him in battle.”

“With what?!” Stephen looked at Wong in frustration. “Don’t we have anything for demons?  You would think we have a weapon  _ specifically _ for something like this.”

“We’ll have to conjure our weapons from a different dimension.”  Wong replied calmly. “That’s what the support is for.”

“Great.” Stephen added with irritation.  Despite his tone, he continued to avoid looking at Meredith in the face as much as possible.

“Meredith,” Wong addressed her gently. “I am honoring your decision, but we could keep researching-”

“I know Wong,” She said serenely. “But I have a feeling you’ll find no other way.”

All parties knew she was right, waiting was prolonging the inevitable when it came to the destruction of Astaroth.

“We’ll begin.”  Wong stepped back to take his place leading the acolytes in channeling energy.

The once orange energy of familiar conjured weapons now emanated bright red filling the open room with an ominous glow.  Stephen finally looked at Meredith. Try as he might, he could not stop pleading with his eyes. She tried to look warmly back at him and motioned that it was time.  He drew the amulet from his pocket and held it in his palm in the space between them. The pink gem glowed and sang in concert with the energy in the room. It’s structure began to crack.

A similar crack appeared along Meredith’s chest with bright pink light spilling through her core.  Stephen’s hand shook and tears spilled forth as he refused to continue.

“Please Meredith,” Stephen begged. “Don’t make me do this.”  

Meredith, more concerned for Stephen than the crack across her chest, closed the space between them.  She cupped his face in her hands.

“It...isn’t fair.” Stephen’s voice faltered.

“I know.” Meredith tried to rub his cheek reassuringly. “It was unfair to ask you to do this.” Despite the chanting in the room and the low light, all Stephen could see was Meredith.  He seemed like he was trying to burn her into his mind. She used one hand to bring him close to her. Stephen and Meredith shared a desperate kiss. He held on to their contact until his lungs burned.  When their lips parted, Stephen felt a moment of hope, that she would stop this madness and try anything else.

“I’m sorry.” She whispered against his cheek.

Meredith’s free hand wrapped around Stephen’s weakened fingers, forcing him to crush the gem in his palm.

Stephen was too stunned in the moment and later blinded by bright pink light.  He reached out into the space she had been to find nothing among the visual din.  

“No…” He whimpered as his vision began to clear.  The bright light was fading, no, being sucked up by a presence, a growing darkness before him.  A grimacing, semi-solid figure was taking shape, with features similar to the astral entity Stephen recalled.  With eyes still closed, Astaroth’s sharp horns and ancient armor took a commanding presence seeming to move between the corporeal and demon realm.  With a deep breath from three stories above, the figure opened its eyes revealing swirling voids of red. Astaroth stretched his claws, summoning a large morningstar from the darkness.

“I have awaited this day,” The demon’s booming voice echoed despite the lack of walls from the sanctum. “When the folly of man dares trick me again.”

Despite the volume of the voice addressing him, Stephen barely heard Astaroth.  He ducked around trying to get a clear view of the demon’s chest. 

“A  _ man’ _ s folly indeed,” Astaroth laughed, baring his chest for the sorcerer to see. The form of a woman in white, fused from the demon from the waist up, gave Stephen all the hope he needed. 

“Meredith!” Stephen called out as loud as he could. The form stirred, the familiar face waking to reveal hazel eyes.

“Don’t ignore me mortal!” The cloak darted Stephen as the large morningstar crashed down. 

“Focus your energy Strange!” Wong called out from the side as he intensified the glow of the room.  Motioning to summon familiar red bands, Stephen aimed them at Astaroth’s wrist to tie down the morningstar. The stream burned through the dimension toward its target to find...nothing.  The band whizzed through the demon’s wrist hitting nothing but smoke. Stunned, Stephen took a backhand the size of his chest that sent him flying into a newly constructed wall.

“How pathetic,” Astaroth laughed, preparing the swing of his weapon.

“Try again!” Called out Wong, offering new instructions to the acolytes.  The room now glowed a bright yellow and Stephen felt the call of a new dimension.  He flew up and mimicked previous motions, summoning a band of sparkling yellow light.  It hurtled toward Astaroth’s neck for a disabling choke...hitting nothing but smoke. The demon made use of the confusion lobbing his morningstar at the floating target, leaving only seconds for Strange to conjure a shield for the brunt of the impact.  The sheer size of the weapon knocked him to the ground.

“Enough!” Astaroth’s free hand palmed the ground, filling the room with a cold dark energy.  When the demon lifted his palm, mindless ones emerged from beneath and started to run toward the others in the room.  The glow of the room faded and there were sounds of scuffling, making it harder for Stephen to orient himself.

“Stephen!” The familiar voice rattled the sorcerer’s brain.  Meredith called from the chest of the demon. Stephen sat up and saw her reaching out to him in futility.  It looked like less of her was exposed now.

“Meredith!” Stephen flew over dodging the attacks of Astaroth.  “Keep him busy.” Stephen whispered to the cloak. It dropped him low and flew up into the air attaching itself to the demon’s face.  Stephen hit the ground running and summoned a familiar glittering band. He tossed it to Meredith’s open hands. 

“I’ve got you.” Stephen called out.  But as Meredith tugged back to free herself, she felt a painful resistance in her form.  She glanced back shocked to find herself fused with Astaroth. The demon let out a groan, feeling her trying to separate from him.

“I’m sorry!” She said, “I didn’t know.”

There was a thud as the cloak hit the ground near Stephen. He looked at Meredith, still clutching the rope and visibly gulped, realizing he’d exhausted all of his options. Meredith’s eyes suddenly lit up and she absently ran her hand across the top of her chest.  Runes similar to the construct lit up a bright pink.

“Stephen.” She directed him. “You have to trust me.”

“Wha-” She let go of the band causing it to dissipate. Meredith circled her hands similar to the sorcerers.

“You’ll know when to attack with anything you’ve got.” Her hands landed in a curled prayer with index fingers pointing up. A pink mandala formed around her on the demon’s chest as she slowly absorbed into him fading into nothing but a bright light in the center.

“NO!” Stephen cried out.

“Oh yes.” Astaroth came down with a smokey fist at the sorcerer who, again, summoned a shield in the nick of time.  The momentum still knocked him to the ground, but the onslaught continued and Astaroth punched down repeatedly.

“How dare you ignore me! I am the dark destroyer! I will lay waste to the realm of man!”

Stephen could feel rage building in him with each punch he took, a fury building on the thought this entity was the reason he’d lost his moment of normalcy.

“SHUT UP!” Stephen conjured a deluge of otherworldly flames into the demon’s face.  Astaroth screamed, startled at the burning feeling. 

“What trickery-” Astaroth looked down becoming aware of pink glowing runes that ran across his chest. “No!”

The mindless ones crumbled to glittering sand where they stood.

“Oh I’ll pay attention to you plenty now, asshole!” Stephen yelled summoning all sorts of weapons and flames of all color and intensity.  The acolytes and Wong followed suit, their bands connecting and tying the demon down. The cape came to and settled on Stephen to bring him up to eye level with Astaroth.  In a fit of gleeful rage, Stephen conjured some cosmic knuckle dusters and laid into the demon’s face.

“That’s for ruining my date! That’s for ruining the first nice week I’ve had in ages! And this is for Meredith!” Stephen let loose a primal yell as he connected an uppercut to the demon.  

“Stay back.” A soft voice echoed in the sorcerers’ heads. Everyone backed up as quick as they could before a bright pink light disintegrated the demon.

Stephen blinked as his feet touched the ground.  The intensity of the pink glow lessened revealing an astral Meredith to everyone.  Despite this appearance, she reached out to take Stephen’s hands and he was surprised to find her tangible.  

“Hello Stephen.” Meredith said with a smile. All of her features were the same save her hazel eyes. 

“Meredith,” Stephen kissed her hands. “You had me worried.”

“I told you to trust me.”

“How did you…” Stephen couldn’t contain wizardly curiosity.

“My father was a runemaster, we are known to do powerful work with catalysts.”

“Catalysts?” Stephen wondered.

Meredith leaned in close, keeping the warmth of her breath against his ear.

“I can do many things with the essense of a deadman.”

Though Stephen was now blushing an intense red, he refused to look away from her.  

Meredith stroked his cheek to maintain their closeness, seeming sorrowful.

“Thank you for freeing me,” Meredith sighed. “I never meant to cause you suffering.”

Stephen tilted her gaze so their eyes met.  “I have no regrets, Meredith.” They shared a soft and peaceful kiss.

“I’m so glad I got to wake up to you, Stephen.”  She smiled at him brightly. In the next moment, she was gone.


	12. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for going on this writing journey with me. The story is finally out of my head and onto a medium. I hope you all enjoyed it and will continue to follow up on other stories from me. You are all great and I'm glad I got to share this story with you.

It was another morning that Stephen was relegated to his room.  Alone with his fabric friend, he thumbed through familiar pages of books he’d read the night before.  Stephen sat on his chair facing the bed, upon which the cloak had decided to curl into the duvet. 

“I can see you, you know.” Stephen said, not looking up from the page.

The cloak tried to flatten into the covers in response.

“Ok stop that, you’re going to get wrinkled.” Stephen stood up and grabbed the corner of the cloak before it could skitter away.  He grabbed it from the same edge it had presented its mending a few days before. Stephen examined the sample of threads again and paused.

“Are these runes?” Stephen asked out of curiosity and accusation.

The cloak was now trying to whip out of his grasp.

“No no no, you don’t get to leave.” Stephen’s tone escalated. “Why didn’t you say so? Do you think…”  He stopped, with the loss still fresh he released his hold on the edge. He sat down in his chair and offered a tearful smile.  “Is that why you were nice to her?”

The cloak offered a tentative nod with its shoulders.  Stephen looked down at the floor for a moment. He gave a half-hearted chuckle and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.  

“Good to know that I can trust your judgement.” Stephen said to the cloak.  He stood up from his chair and put the book down. “Come on, let’s go do a normal thing.  A fair trade coffee shop opened up nearby. Let’s go outside and see it.”


End file.
